Gripper mechanism for bronzing-mach in es



' (No Model.) I v A. T. ANDERSON; V

GRIPPER MECHANISM FOR BRONZING-MAGHINES, &c. No. 297,739. Patented A 1229 1884-.

' 2 Sheets-Sheefl 1.

WM (x mm M755 5529.5: EVE/77 01;

N PETERS. Pmwmmn m. Waihingtm. do.

(No Model.)

. -2 Sheets- Sheet 2. A. TJ NDE SON. GRIPPBR MECHANISM FOR BRONZING MACHINES; 6m.

No. 297,739. Patented Ap1 -..29. -1884.

MJ/YESSESL N. PKTERS. mwulhu mr. Washinglm n. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALBERT THEoPHiLUs ANDERSON, E CHELSEA, AssIeNoE TO WM. H.

FORBES, or BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS. y

GRIPPER NIECHANISM'FOR BRONZING-MACHINIES, 86C.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 297,739, dated April 29, 1884.

f To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ALBERT T. ANDERSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chelsea, in the county of Suffolkland State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and use ful Improvements in Gripper Mechanisms for Bronzing-Machines, Printing-Presses, 850., of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to machinessuch as printing presses, bronzing machines, and many othersin which a sheet of paper or similar material is held by a gripper while it is being bronzed or printed or transferred from one position to another.

The object of the invention is to hold a sheet to a cylinder or other support, so that said cylinder or support shall present a smooth surface, even with the sheet itself, without depression or break, so that in bronzing and the like the cylinder shall contain no receptacle for bronze-powder, 8m. i

In the drawings, Figure l is an end elevation of a cylinder having my gripper, the latter shown open for the reception of asheet. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of part of the cylinder, showing in position and in elevation the gripper and devices for actuating the same. Fig. 3 is a cross-section of the gripper and its mode of attachment. Fig. 4 is a plan view of part of the cylinder-face.

In cylinders for printing-presses and similar machines, the fingers or grippers which hold the sheets are usually attached to a small shaft which is parallel to the axis of the cylinder, and placed in a gap or trough made in the face of the cylinder. such size as to receive the gripper-shaft and to permit the grippers to be turned over backward into the gap.

My improved gripper device is used with a cylinder having a gap in its surface; but I fill this gap with the gripper-shaft, so that when the gripper is closed the cylinder presents substantially an, unbroken surface.

A indicates the cylinder of a bronzing-machine or printing-press. B is a gap therein, in this instance a trough, into which the bushcally unbroken surface.

This gap is commonly of Application filed December 27, 1883. (No model.)

ing or boxing O is made to fit accurately at bottom and sides and to project even with the surface at O. The bushing O is bored out longitudinally in such manner that the shaft a (which is placed in the bore) would, if a complete cylinder, project a'little at oneside of said bushing or block 0. The rod a has a segment,

removed from one side thereof, and in place of said segment a plate, I is attached by screws or otherwise. The part of bushing O which is at 0 does not extend quite to the circumference of cylinder A. This little depressiona partial segment of said main cylinder-is filled by the plate I), so that when plate b is in the position shown in full lines, Fig. 3, and in plan, Fig. 4, the cylinder A presents a practis The gripper-shaft a is made to turn in its bearings, and of course moves the plate b with it. The vibration of shaft a may be accomplished at proper times by means of segmental rack c on arm 0 engaging with a pinion or gear, a, on shaft'a. The arm 0 is attached to rock-shaft d, and forms with arm 6 a bell-crank lever. Springrod f, operating to press outward on arm e of this lever, is supported at the other end in vibrating stud g, the spring h serving to force said rod outward, and therefore to close the gripper-plate b. When it is necessary to raise the gripper-plate for the introduction of a sheet, the lever e is depressed against the force of the spring. .This is usually done by causing the anti friction roller t, which is on the same stud that carries the spring-rod f, to engage a fixed cam on the frame of the machine. All this mechanism for operating the gripperfingers is old, and any substantial equivalent which serves to open and close the gripperplate at the proper time may be employed.

The essence of my invention. is to so fill the gap in the cylinder that there shall be no aperture around the gripper. It is therefore apfor it to pass under the edge of the feed-board in an elevated or partly elevated position. See dotted lines, Fig. 3, as showing the position of the plate directly after it has passed the feed-board.) This may be accomplished by making the feedboard rise and fall, as is common in the art, so that the edge of the sheet may come within the grasp of the gripper-plate.

Instead of being on the face of a cylinder, the gripper-plate b may be on the face of a traveling endless belt or platform, the surface being made even with the platform and so constructed as to entirely close the gap therein.

In some forms of printingcylinders it may be necessary to have mechanism inside the cylinder for manipulating the gripperplate or for other purposes. In such case the gap may be open below my gripper-plate, but will be closed externally by said plate.

I am aware that it is not new to close the top or periphery of the gap in a bronzing-cylinder by a gripper-plate, so that when said plate is closed the gap will be closed thereby; but in such old constructions, when the plate is thrown back, the gap is left open, so that bronze-powder falls into the gap and is wasted. To obviate this difficulty is the principal ob ject of my invention.

I claim 1. The combination, with a cylinder pro vided with a gap, of a gripper-shaft which substantially fills said gap, and a suitable gripperplate on said shaft, substantially as described.

2. The combination,with a cylinder having a gap of nearly circular outline, of a shaft which is nearly cylindrical and substantially fills said gap, and a gripper-plate attached to said shaft, and suitable operating mechanism, sub stantially as described.

8. The conibinatiomwith a cylinder having a gap, of abushing therein, said bushing having a longitudinal groove which is filled by the gripper-shaft, and asuitable gripper-plate on said shaft, substantially as described.

4:. The combination of the cylinder having a gap, the bushing O therein extending to the periphery of the cylinder at C, but being slightly lower at G, the gripper-shaft a, and suitable operating mechanism therefor, and

the gripper-plate 1), its outer surface curved on the same circle as the cylinder, substantiall y as described.

In testimony whereof I aifix my signature i presence of two witnesses.

ALBERT TllEOllllhUS ANDERSON.

\Vi tnesscs:

DUDLEY A. Donn, XV. G. A. PATTEE. 

